When Dannell Ellerbe was placed on injured reserve last season, Kelvin Sheppard was signed to give the Miami Dolphins more depth at the linebacker position. On Tuesday, the team rewarded him for his efforts by re-signing him.
Sheppard was set to become a free agent, but the Dolphins re-signed him to a one-year deal. The former LSU Tiger said in a press conference on Tuesday that Miami is the place he wanted to be.
“As soon as last season was over, I expressed my desire to want to come back and sign with the Dolphins, both to the coaching staff and my agent,” said Sheppard. “I felt like it was a place that I could continue to grow and mature, on the field under the Linebackers Coach (Mark) Duffner, D (Defensive) Coordinator (Kevin Coyle, and (Head) Coach (Joe) Philbin. I love the culture that Mr. (General Manager Dennis) Hickey is putting into place down here in South Florida and I just really wanted to be a part of it.”
Sheppard played in 14 games for the Dolphins, starting once. Koa Misi and Jelani Jenkins are expected to start at the other linebacker spots. Sheppard’s role could increase, but he has bigger goals in mind for the 2015 season.
“Every guy in this league wants to be a starter,” said Sheppard. “However, it may play out here in Miami, I just want to win. That’s my number one and ultimate goal, is winning and providing the leadership that I know I can and letting my play and my abilities on the field speak for themselves.”
This will be the second time Sheppard has played on the same time in consecutive seasons in the NFL. He played his first two season in Buffalo before being traded to the Indianapolis Colts for Jerry Hughes. Sheppard said he is looking forward to playing in the same scheme two years in a row.
“It’s night and day for me, from having one scheme in my head in Buffalo and being the guy there, and the next day traded to Indy and having to learn a new scheme and being there for a year,” said Sheppard. “Then being released there and coming here and having to learn another scheme. For me, to be coming in and pretty much refreshing my mind on the scheme during OTAs and being able to tune that up all throughout the offseason, all throughout training camp. I hope it would be a difference in my performance, a difference in my play and the difference in my impact on this team.”
